High school football: Tulsa Washington's Thomas Grayson breaks loose against Del City

TULSA — Thomas Grayson only saw green, and there was plenty for him to enjoy.

Tulsa Washington's star running back took the slow handoff, cut, found a crease and raced down the field.

Ninety-nine yards untouched.

“I just took off,” Grayson said.

“Oh my God,” added Tulsa Washington coach Brad Calip. “He looked like the old Grayson again.”

Del City's chance to stay in the game against the Class 6A-II defending champion was dashed in heartbreaking fashion early in the fourth quarter with the longest play possible in a high school football game.

Grayson's near field-length run sparked a second-half dominance for No. 4 Tulsa Washington as it beat No. 5 Del City 27-8 to open the playoffs Friday night at S.E. Williams Stadium.

“That was obviously the backbreaker,” Del City coach Mike Dunn said. “They got big there in the second half. Credit to them for running right at us.”

Grayson, who was once committed to Nebraska and is ranked No. 11 on The Oklahoman's Super 30, finished with 285 yards and one TD.

Tulsa Washington (8-3) advances to play No. 1 undefeated Stillwater next week at a neutral location to be determined.

Getting there wasn't easy.

Tulsa Washington superstar Dax Hill, a Michigan commit and one of the top recruits in the country, caught a 56-yard TD pass on the Hornets' first offensive play.

Del City star and Arkansas State commit Jeff Foreman followed with a 70-yard TD reception of his own on blown coverage for an 8-7 lead.

Hill moved to cover Foreman and that held Foreman to two more catches and just 6 more yards.

“We just decided it's not going to happen anymore,” Calip said.

Del City (7-4) had to get help elsewhere, but it fumbled in Tulsa Washington territory in the second quarter. Later, the Eagles turned the ball over on downs on the Hornets' 3.

Tulsa Washington turned to its run game in the second half, breaking it open in the fourth.

Grayson had been injured earlier in the year. But he closed out with two huge runs — the 99-yarder and another for 69.

“We just pounded them,” Grayson said. “That's all we could do. Our quarterback went down, so we had to put it on our offensive line. We had to pound the rock. That's what got us the state championship last year, so we just got back to it.”